Palm

It is common knowledge that both Apple and Google are the foremost thought leaders in the technology industry and as a result have secured global dominance of the smartphone OS market space. What is surprising is reviewing the numbers and trends that show an astronomical growth for the two giants over the course of 18 months. As can be seen in chart provided by comScore - the leading provider of online digital world measurement metrics - U.S. mobile subscribers are used to demonstrate the dramatic transition in market shares in the ever growing smartphone market. Discover the benefits of online shopping.... experience the largest assortment of wireless device accessories at the lowest prices on the Internet.

In less than a year and a half (between August 2010 and November 2011), the combined U.S. market share for Google and Apple - based on the number of mobile subscribers of iPhones and Android phones - jumped from 43.8 percent to 75.6 percent! When one considers the exponential growth of the mobile market and the rapid consumer adoption of wireless devices such as unlocked cell phones and tablets as well as for the associated branded protective accessories... it becomes apparent how staggering the revenue potential of these combined markets really is.

Another drastic market shift is the fall of beleaguered Canadian high-tech giant, Research In Motion. RIM has been plagued with technology based challenges, security issues, lackluster apps, production setbacks, numerous litigations and dismal product design, which all contributed to its fall from grace. Losing subscribership in the 18 month period, RIM’s BlackBerry market share dropped from 37.6 percent to 19.7 percent. Microsoft didn’t fare any better when it’s popularity poll was cut almost in half. Lastly, market laggard, Palm who? Enhance your mobility and turn your device into a power tool! Discover select accessories, such as stylus & pens, SD Micro memory cards, batteries, speakers and glider gloves all specifically designed to make your devices functionally efficient and performance rich.

So how and why did Android and Apple win over so many consumers? Analysts and industry experts seem to agree that unlocked phones for carrier neutrality, provided subscribers with the freedom to break away from being tied in with long term service provider contracts and negotiate lower priced service plans that best met their lifestyle needs . Secondly, the branding of not only the device, but the wide array of innovative top brand accessories drew customers in. Leaving your valuable mobile devices unprotected is risky! Discover the latest innovative protection solutions of stylish top brand bags, sleeves and cases specially designed to protect your devices from scratches and blemishes with our. Tough on the outside, sweet on the inside our brand name protection accessories combine complete device coverage with sleek artistic expression.

Although spyware is mostly reserved for systems that run on a Windows platform, SecTheory, a security firm suggests that perhaps the newly acquired Hewlett Packard webOS platform could also be forced to deal with spyware concerns in the very near future.

The security firm claims that they have already been able to find a number of flaws in the operating system that could potentially leave it open for spyware harassment and a plethora of different exploits that could hinder the experience of the end user. One exploit that the firm detailed involved the data field in the contacts app which can be used to run different types of code. This issue was actually already addressed with the release of webOS 2.0, but there are still quite a few errors that were detailed by SecTheory that have yet to be fixed. These exploits include a denial of service error, cross-site scripting issues that could leave webOS devices vulnerable to attack and a floating-point overflow issue.

Hewlett Packard will likely move quickly to fix all of the issues that were pointed out by the security firm SecTheory, especially since the company just recently acquired Palm OS and is looking to integrate the technology into a umber of their own unlocked cell phone next year. Sectheory speculated that webOS has been exposed as an underdeveloped platform which will make the platform more enticing to hackers and coders who are looking to infect your smart device with malware and spyware in an effort to capture information.

Although no operating system is completely secure, the flaws that were exposed in the framework of webOS devices should be worrisome to individuals that were looking to purchase a device that runs on the platform. It is clear that HP has a great deal of work to do before consumers should feel completely safe while using the platform.

Motorola’s streak of launching new devices one after the other and they have in fact announced that they will soon be releasing around twenty Android phones this year. There is a new collection of phones which will be released soon which comprises of small portrait slide phones which are really similar to the Unlocked Palm Pre, all the while retaining the Droid characters and properties. We have recently got some spy pictures of these phones which show us that these are going to be strong Android phones. Let us look at the basics of this new line of phones.

Contrary to all of the smartphones present in the market which are tending to the large phones with big touch screens, the Motorola unlocked phones which they are coming out with in the market are targeted to the market. The cell phone market has been focusing very much recently on the smartphone market but Motorola has remembered the lower end customers with a large number of budget phones like the Backflip, CLIQ and Devour. Although we find it somewhat unlikely, this phone may just make its way to Verizon.

We are not really upbeat about the design but we will reserve our judgment for the time when we actually do get the phones with us. Actually, the truth is that we were not big fans of this original Motorola Droid unlocked handset but in fact it has grown on us and we have slowly started looking into how this phone might be. The keyboard layout is pretty good but the screen might be somewhat cluttered for the taste of the Android fans who are used to a larger screen. This phone will not be coming only with built in UI but will sport Motoblur and the likes. Keep your eyes peeled for more news about this new line.

Marketing plays an enormous role in a company’s ascent towards a brighter tomorrow and the best of these organizations provide us with the best of deals. As the company grows in stature, the deals offered gets smarter and concerned company gets even more flexible and all the less stingy. And talking of flexible, the latest wow offer in the market is HP providing for Palm Pre and Palm Pixi sets to those who avail AT&T and Verizon. This is absolutely splendid break of events for those who wanted a taste of Palm after it became a part of HP. Can the offer be more attractive? And to top it all Verizon faithful with Unlocked Palm Pre Plus will be granted a free Bluetooth headset. Sprint clients will not have any such exclusive offers at hand and will have to cough up almost hundred dollars for Pre and more than ten bucks for Pixi.

As the various world powers in technology push for better updates and move forward with the requirements of a better tomorrow, HP is right up there with the elites. As an appended bonus to the free unlocked cellphones, HP is all set to launch its webOS 1.4.5. Although critically speaking it is only a small update to its previous running version, it does mends and improvises where the former failed to gain ground. It fixes some of the more controversial elements such as text inputs when it comes to web pages. It also strengthens the security by quite a bit, which was a major issue in its former running version and forms better support and stability for webOS plug-in Development Kit.

In all possibilities, this is the new talked about hardware from Palm, with the better and improved version of webOS. It is clear that HP is in all intent clearing away their stocks to make room for the new ones. So it would be exciting to see what exactly is in store for us.

E-mails have been sent out by Unlocked Palm Pre to the webOS developer community intimating them of Palm's intention of a waiver for the $50 per application submission fee that is required to get on the apps catalog. Moreover, Palm has also said that all current developers are eligible for a refund of their fees submitted previously.

After its takeover, LogicHP considers Palm and webOS to be “A great source of mobile fun, its not all sunshine and rainbows”. The number of apps in the webOS store has leveled out at around 2,600 for quite a while. The rather stiff $50 submission fee was also a substantial deterrent to coders who might have been interested in developing apps for the PalmOS platform.

By following the present policy, Palm would have to pay over $100,000. This is not really that hefty a sum, considering its acquisition by HP. Moreover, in a market dominated by the likes of the iPhone 4 unlocked Handset and Android operating systems for mobile phones, this may seem like a sensible investment to boost the interest of developers and coders thus giving a shot in the arm to application development for the PalmOS platform. And the App Catalog could definitely use the extra apps that may be coming due to developers homing in on this "too-good-to-be-true" opportunity.

This is a rather unusual move to entice developers by Palm. Earlier they had waived the submission fee and reviewing process for open-source apps. The present move may also be a desperate attempt to increase sales of its smartphones - the Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus.

There are several disadvantages to this as well. This literal opening of doors may result in spam, bug-prone apps, loss in robustness integrity of code due to an unrestricted submission policy and a lack of quality control.

So it appears that AT&T finally released information about the Unlocked Pre Plus that their customers have been patiently waiting for. It looks like AT&T customers will be able to purchase the new Palm Pre Plus for $149.99 on contract after rebate. This is the same price that Sprint is charging for the Pre and $100 more than Verizon is charging for its own Pre Plus. However, AT&T customers will also get a free Touchstone charging dock along with their purchase for a “limited time” when they purchase the device in a corporate owned store.

There is no word yet on the Pixi Plus but at least this gets Palm back onto AT&T’s network. Also, there was no word on a free mobile hotspot add-on to mirror the deal that Verizon has going. The Pre Plus will hit store shelves on May 16th.

Finally we get official word on when the Pre Plus will be released on AT&T’s network and how much it will cost. While the price of $149.99 seems awfully steep compared to Verizon’s $30 (with a 2 year contract) the addition of the Touchstone charging dock is a nice add on. This charging dock will help alleviate the extra costs associated with purchasing this device on the AT&T network instead of switching over to Verizon. However, Sprint is selling the same phone with the same price tag as AT&T so maybe it is just Verizon Wireless that is crazy for selling this smartphone for a mere $30. Either way it is about time that AT&T announced when this device would launch as Palm fans have been anxiously waiting to get their hands on the new Pre Plus Unlock Gadget .

AT&T customers have waited long enough and finally appear to have the chance to buy the Unlocked Palm Pre. The wait has been so long for these AT&T customers that the device is now actually called the Palm Pre Plus and the company Palm itself was bought out by HP. However, it now appears that this device will be available starting May 16th for most of the nation with continued planned rollouts expected in the weeks following until it is available nationwide. There was no mention from AT&T about a free 3G mobile hotspot capability like the one that was offered by Verizon but you will have free access to AT&T’s network of 20,000+ fixed hotspots. The only piece of information that we need now is price AT&T plans on selling the Palm Pre for. This will be an interesting thing to note given the fact that Verizon Wireless recently announced they will be selling the same device for only $30 with a 2 year contract.

It has also been mentioned around the internet rumor mills that AT&T will be rolling out its 3G MicroCell from coast to coast on the same day. This announcement would make a lot of sense as this Palm Pre Unlocked device is expected to increase the amount of load on AT&T’s network with the various web browsing and data using features included with this device. The main selling point of the Palm Pre is that it can also be used as a wireless networking device which will surely add a lot more traffic to AT&T’s already strained 3G network. By releasing the 3G MicroCell product on the same day will hope to alleviate any potential problems that might occur from more users being the on AT&T’s network with a web browsing friendly smartphone.

Verizon Wireless appears to be setting out to clobber the competition when it comes to selling the Unlocked Palm Pre Plus Phone. According to their website it appears that Verizon has already lowered the price of the Pre Plus to just $30 on a two year contract. This is a substantial discount over Sprint and AT&T who will be charging $149 not to mention AT&T has not even started selling the device! There has been no word on whether or not this discounted price will last or if the lowered end model Pixi Plus will eventually fall to free with a contract. If you are looking for a cheap way to get in on the future of HP it looks like this is as good of a chance as any.

The Palm Pre Plus is one of the better, lower priced smartphones on the market today. Packing features such as Palm webOS, 3.0 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, QWERTY keyboard, Touch Screen and 3G Mobile Hotspot it is easy to see why many consumers are eager to pick up this new mobile device. Now it appears that with Verizon’s generous pricing structure consumers will be able to grab this device at an exceptional value.

The various other devices by Palm Pre have been great sellers in the past as well. Perhaps spotting a chance to gain a few more members of their network Verizon jumped the gun by lowering the price substantially over their competitors to cash in on all the people who will be looking to purchase this particular Palm device. This looks like a good decision by Verizon as they will be sure to gain a few new customers for their network via this very affordable smartphone.

Starting today Verizon Wireless is rolling out the webOS 1.4.1.1 update to Pre Plus and Pixi Plus owners. The update is a modest 11mb in size and includes minor bug fixes including one that addresses the “sticky key” problem many users have been experiencing. Pinch to zoom is also being expanded into Docs and PDF, WiFi to CDMA hand-off is going to be more consistent and battery life while using Bluetooth has also been improved. The update is over the air and should arrive to the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus within the next 48 hours. Below is a full list of updates that are included with webOS 1.4.1.1:

· Easier to use Bluetooth.
o Improved battery life when turning off Bluetooth without unpairing a device.
· Displayed time feature is more accurate.
o Automatic updates for Daylight Saving Time.
· Easier connection management.
o More consistent EV-DO connections when switching from Wi-Fi to CDMA.
· Better Touchstone charger integration.
o The screen will now turn off and display the lock icon and time after the Pixi Plus is docked with the Touchstone charger.
· Newly taken photos and videos do not overwrite existing ones.
o Improved picture display when cropping a picture for a contact.
· Improvements:
o Pinch to zoom now works in more applications.
o The onscreen volume slider now appears correctly.
o The forward gesture now works in the browser.
o The back gesture now returns to the file list screen in certain applications.
o The shutter sound is more responsive when taking a picture.
o A single press of the power button now reliably wakes up the display.
o The LCD reset issue has been resolved.

Eventhough AT&T’s own Ralph de la Vega mentioned all the way back in November 2008 that you would be able to tether your iPhone to your personal computer and use it as a modem “soon” it looks like we are still quite a ways away from seeing this functionality. Even with many iPhone carriers around the world deploying this tethering feature as soon as Apple had it ready it seems that AT&T’s silence is saying more than they want it to. Tech website Engadget reached out to AT&T and received this feedback concerning iPhone tethering on the AT&T network:

"We understand that there is great interest in tethering but cannot provide any details at this time. We know that iPhone users love their devices and mobile broadband, and that they're likely to embrace tethering just as they have other features and apps – by using it a lot. iPhone tethering has the potential to exponentially increase traffic, and we need to ensure that we're able to deliver excellent performance for the feature – over and above the increases in data traffic we're already seeing – before we will offer the feature."

While it does make sense for AT&T to ensure their network can handle the increased load that would accompany iPhone users being able to use their phone as a modem for their personal computers they better hurry up and figure out a solution quickly or risk losing business customers to Verizon. Verizon recently announced that their Palm Mobile Hotspot app would be a free add on with the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus that is sure to draw the attention of many business customers and frequent travelers that would benefit from being able to use their mobile device as a mobile hot spot while on the road.